UV curable polymeric systems such as various adhesives and coatings are known in the art. Typically, exposure to UV light for a sufficient duration and intensity results in crosslinking of the polymer and in certain systems polymerization of monomers or other species. Curing often results in toughening or hardening of the system.
Although a wide range of equipment and practices are known for curing polymeric systems, most if not all are limited in flexibility and/or can only be used in association with specific polymeric systems having particular curing requirements. Accordingly, a need exists for new strategies for curing adhesive systems and new adhesive compositions that can be prepared, stored if desired, and selectively applied or further processed.